Handwriting Woes Can they be fixed and how? By Carey Bell and Donna Lype

What are some problems we see every year with our new crop of students? Children not holding their pencils correctly. Children not forming their letters correctly. –Writing in all UPPER CASE. –forming their letters from the bottom instead of the top –Incorrect leTTer siZing –Littleornospacingbetween words

What are some tools that we can use to help our students hold their pencils correctly? Pencil Grips Larger pencils and crayons

Handwriting tool found in our wonderful Resource Room! This tool helps the children start in the correct place. It also allows proper flow starting from the top and following through to the end of the letter.

How do we re-teach handwriting that has either been taught incorrectly or has never been corrected? Begin with lines and shapes. Encourage drawing of lines from top to bottom using worksheets. Another fun activity for children is using ropes of modeling clay or cord to form alphabet letters. You can also fill the lid of a box with dirt and have the children form letters in the dirt by using sticks as pencils.

Vertical lines are practiced. First is left side, then right and then horizontal.

Next teach a few lower case letters and short words.

Once letter formation is acceptable, practice on paper with wide guide lines. There should be solid lines at the top and bottom and a dotted line in the middle.

There are several websites that you can visit that will make practice sheets for your class. One site is handwritingworksheets.com. You can write the sentence and the program will turn it into D’Nealian writing for you and show the students where to start forming their letters. Check out the example at the top.

Our Conclusion: We know that our students will come into class needing a lot of handwriting practice. The recommended amount of handwriting practice is 2 short periods each day. There is no easy fix, however, there are ways to make the practice fun.

Sources “ How to teach Handwriting” by Kathryn L. Stout. worksheets.com D’Nealian Handwriting Idea Book Blog- havefunteaching.com